Decorative countertops obtained from such solid surface materials as Corian®, Wilsonart®, Avonite®, or stone such as granite, for example, are popular and can provide a very pleasing look to a kitchen or other room where these materials are used. These, and other decorative solid surface materials can come in various designs, and are functionally tough and resistant to mars, scratches, and breakage. In addition, these materials can be easily cleaned using conventional cleaners and detergents.
While smooth glass shares many of these same attributes, glass can break or crack under typical countertop use in a kitchen, for example. Also, conventional decorative glass can be fragile, or designs painted on the surface can be ruined over time and/or with continuous contact. Therefore, it is not conventional to use conventional decorative glass in a functional application such as a kitchen countertop. However, using glass to match the designs in the decorative solid surfaces in a room or building can be desirable.
Plasticized polyvinyl butyral sheet (PVB) is used in the manufacture of laminate structures such as, for example: windshields for vehicles including automobiles, motorcycles, boats and airplanes; homes and buildings; shelving in cabinets and display cases; and other articles where structural strength is desirable in a glass sheet. In many applications, it is desirable that the laminate be transparent and colorless. In other applications it can be desirable that the laminate provide a decorative design or appearance, or bear a color or shade. Decorative glass laminates bearing images or solid colors have been described previously. For example, the entry to the E.P. Foster Library, Ventura, Calif. designed by Sally Weber and the Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh, Pa.
However, decorative glass laminates of this type are primarily obtained by printing on the surface of the interlayer, and therefore provide a 2-dimensional image that may not be discernable from obscure angles. 2-Dimensional images may not diffuse light in a way that would provide depth of the visual effect, which can be an important aspect of the aesthetic character of the decorative laminate. This may be particularly true in the case of an image designed to match a solid surface design.
While decorative glass laminates can be useful in a variety of applications, use of decorative glass laminates is not widespread in end-use applications such as furniture, cabinetry, countertops, tabletops, and the like. The design of decorative solid surface materials can be difficult to reproduce in such applications using conventional methods.
It can be desirable to provide a decorative glass laminate having the ability to match the aesthetic characteristics of decorative solid surface materials, and at the same time provide the attributes of a standard safety glass laminate.